Unique Confederation of Rural Laborers of Bolivia
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Unique Confederation of Rural Laborers of Bolivia | |
Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia | |
Founded | 1979 |
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Country | Bolivia |
Affiliation | COB |
Key people | Felipe Quispe, executive secretary |
Office location | La Paz, Bolivia |
The Unique Confederation of Rural Laborers of Bolivia (Spanish: Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia, CSUTCB) is a union of peasants in Bolivia.
The CSUTCB was formed in 1979 as a merger of several government-sponsored peasant unions. Under the leadership of the Tupac Katari Revolutionary Movement, the CSUTCB became an independent organization. The CSUTCB became involved in the COB labor federation and (because of the decline of the miners' federation) became a leading force in the COB. Through the CSUTCB's pressure, the COB moved beyond class-based to addresses indigenous demands, as well.
During the 1990s the CSUTCB moved beyond its support base of Aymara-speaking Indians, bringing Guaraní- and Quechua-speaking Indians into its ranks. The CSUTCB played a significant role in the series of demonstrations that brought down President Carlos Mesa in 2005. The CSUTCB has supported nationalization of Bolivia's natural gas reserves and opposed water privatization.